What free os for end users?

Martyn

Martyn

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I just had a Sony in with a failed drive and therefore no recovery partition. The client didn't want to pay for a recovery cd(I've sinced sourced one) and said can I put a free os on. I put on Ubuntu but my question is what flavout would recommend for a non techie client? I've only ever loaded Ubuntu I think.
 
+1 mint

Best free OS I can think of for the reasons outlined above. It works better 'out of the box' than Ubuntu, but is based on 'Buntu so has all that infrastructure going for it.
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Agree with Linux Mint, it's very easy to use and elegantly designed. +1 also.
 
I agree

Another vote for 'Mint' - I like it so much I have put it on my dual boot netbook that I take travelling when I overnight on long trips out here. Much faster browsing than Windows and a good GUI as well.

Linux will still be a steep learning curve for your client if he has only used MS Windows but maybe you can offer him a couple of hours tuition for a set fee just to familiarise him with the fundamentals, and things like setting up a printer are not quite so straightforward as the old 'Plugnpray' method he might be used to? Worth a try to see if you can squeeze a few extra bucks out of the deal anyway!
 
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another +1 for mint.

What could also be a good idea, is to start doing some tech courses on linux. Ie teaching users. I have had one recently where I my client needed xp installed, (due to pirate copy), balked at the cost of a license, so installed linux for him. Then had to spend an hour or so, going through everything. Although this was ubuntu.

Made me think of brushing up (read learn), linux, and offering that as a service.

I'm not sure about you guys, but when clients ask me for the cost of the OS, I tell them, and they think I am lying. So have to show the cost to them. Then they think its too much, and opt for a linux install.
 
drickyd said:
Another vote for 'Mint' - I like it so much I have put it on my dual boot netbook that I take travelling when I overnight on long trips out here. Much faster browsing than Windows and a good GUI as well.

Linux will still be a steep learning curve for your client if he has only used MS Windows but maybe you can offer him a couple of hours tuition for a set fee just to familiarise him with the fundamentals, and things like setting up a printer are not quite so straightforward as the old 'Plugnpray' method he might be used to? Worth a try to see if you can squeeze a few extra bucks out of the deal anyway!
Click to expand...

OpenSUSE has the best printer support I have ever seen. It is literally plug and play with most printers. Especially HP printers. By the time you plug in the cord your ready to print. IMHO Its better then Windows in that regard.

iisjman07 said:
Too true; people scoff at the cost of Windows & MS Office
Click to expand...

I have been installing Libreoffice a lot lately. People use to complain about OoO but advances have been so great lately that most customers are happy with it. They also love the price.

Personally I don't think *.nix is there yet for consumers but its dam close. I have been using Kubuntu as a VM secured desktop that I install on peoples systems that can't seam to stay virus free. I use virtualbox and a pre-configured image that I created. I have not used it on enough customers systems to really say how well it works but I have not had any complaints yet. I have been looking for something that works faster in a VM but so far kubuntu is the winner for not only speed but also the virtualbox add in support. From the testing that I did for some reason KDE is happier in a VM then Gnome.
 
I've put Ubuntu on my estranged wifes' PC, and haven't looked back.

It's an old 1.6GHz P4 with 512MB RAM, and XP was rather slow. Also, several of her "friends" who thought they knew about computers, kept on messing with settings, installing crap, etc., and it was me who had to sort it out - gratis, of course! As she only does e-mail, browsing, and the occasional digital photo, I decided to install Ubuntu (10.04). I haven't looked back. Virtually no support needed, and as to the issue of "friends", I reckon if they know Ubuntu that well, good luck to 'em!

As to printer support, when I plugged her (old-ish) Epson in, I expected to have to install it, but by the time I got to the Add Printer wizard, Ubuntu had found and installed it!
 
PRobbo said:
I've put Ubuntu on my estranged wifes' PC, and haven't looked back.

It's an old 1.6GHz P4 with 512MB RAM, and XP was rather slow. Also, several of her "friends" who thought they knew about computers, kept on messing with settings, installing crap, etc., and it was me who had to sort it out - gratis, of course! As she only does e-mail, browsing, and the occasional digital photo, I decided to install Ubuntu (10.04). I haven't looked back. Virtually no support needed, and as to the issue of "friends", I reckon if they know Ubuntu that well, good luck to 'em!

As to printer support, when I plugged her (old-ish) Epson in, I expected to have to install it, but by the time I got to the Add Printer wizard, Ubuntu had found and installed it!
Click to expand...

estranged = here's your bill, lol.

I would assume that many distros will start to have better and better printer support. I know it was a big thing with OpenSUSE a while back. Thats the good thing about open source. Once one distro starts doing it others can follow and improve on it.

Also many manufacturers are starting to opensource there drivers under NDA to kernel developers. Its not the true nature of open source but its at least greatly improving *nix hardware compatibility. Because of this many devices are starting to become easier to install on a *nix system then a windows system.

*nix is like a giant barge. Once it gets moving it goes in one direction really well. However, its hard to slow down and turn but once it does and its on track again its hard to stop. I believe that *.nix is turning away from the server environment and starting to make its way to the desktop. This has taken quite a few years to do but once its on track it will be practically unstoppable.
 
My take

When I get my hands on working towers/desktops that only need an operating system, but there is no COA sticker attached to it (usually Pentium 4 machines)

I install Ubuntu 10.04, with open office, media codes, flash/java/google chrome, and if the person buying it needs any special software, I try to find a linux alternative.
I usually get those systems for $10 to $20 and sell them for $100, and I also offer "end user linux training" at $30 hr ( done in my office), and if they want me to go home to set it up, there is another money maker

I have been selling around 3-4 of those a week, people buying them for their kids that all they need is access to a web browser to get online and type documents, and who are tired of getting viruses every other month
 
Martyn said:
I just had a Sony in with a failed drive and therefore no recovery partition. The client didn't want to pay for a recovery cd(I've sinced sourced one) and said can I put a free os on. I put on Ubuntu but my question is what flavout would recommend for a non techie client? I've only ever loaded Ubuntu I think.
Click to expand...

We resell Asus laptops, and I've been setting them up with a dual-boot Win7/Ubuntu for a while now (11.04 since it's been out). We've had a very favourable response to it. The key to getting the good response is all in the setup.

I make sure we have some familiar apps installed like Picasa, Google Earth and Skype, and the clincher has been XPGnome to make it look like XP. It makes a lot of Linux diehards shudder, but by doing this the desktop is familiar to new users, they're not as intimidated by it and they're more likely to use it. I might have to find an alternative to XPGnome since Unity has come along, but at the moment I've been setting the installs to the classic Gnome desktop.

One of our internet cafe machines is set up like this, and most people have a hard time picking it from the other XP machines near it.
 
Rob said:
We resell Asus laptops, and I've been setting them up with a dual-boot Win7/Ubuntu for a while now (11.04 since it's been out). We've had a very favourable response to it. The key to getting the good response is all in the setup.

I make sure we have some familiar apps installed like Picasa, Google Earth and Skype, and the clincher has been XPGnome to make it look like XP. It makes a lot of Linux diehards shudder, but by doing this the desktop is familiar to new users, they're not as intimidated by it and they're more likely to use it. I might have to find an alternative to XPGnome since Unity has come along, but at the moment I've been setting the installs to the classic Gnome desktop.

One of our internet cafe machines is set up like this, and most people have a hard time picking it from the other XP machines near it.
Click to expand...

Good post, I didn't know that. Keep them coming because the more I can install 'Windows' programs onto Ubuntu(or whatever) the greater degree of success. I got a message from the client last night that although I have sourced the cd he wants to stay with Ubuntu :) Thanks for your input and keep them coming as a lot of this is new to me.
 
Lubuntu is brilliant if you just need a web browser :) I've installed it on ancient low spec laptops which needing XP reinstalling but had no valid key.

http://lubuntu.net/

The problem with Linux for most users if they expect everything like Photoshop to work on it, there is just too much compromise for those used to using windows applications.

I've been using linux for about ten years though and I love it, I still need Windows on my main business PC.
 
joydivision said:
Lubuntu is brilliant if you just need a web browser :) I've installed it on ancient low spec laptops which needing XP reinstalling but had no valid key.

http://lubuntu.net/

The problem with Linux for most users if they expect everything like Photoshop to work on it, there is just too much compromise for those used to using windows applications.

I've been using linux for about ten years though and I love it, I still need Windows on my main business PC.
Click to expand...

I have found that there is an alternative for almost every windows program. The best part is the Linux alternative is normally free.
 
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